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Revision as of 06:46, 29 August 2006 by John Dalton (talk | contribs) (convert link to reference)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Joseph Terrence Thomas (b. 1973) is an Australian citizen who had a conviction for receiving funds from Al-Qaeda overturned on appeal. He was acquitted of providing resources that would assist in a terrorist act.
Thomas was the first Australian to be convicted under anti-terrorism laws introduced in Australia after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. He was sentenced on March 31, 2006 to five years prison with a non-parole period of two years. Thomas's lawyer, Rob Stary, described the not guilty verdicts on the more serious charges as a "significant victory".
Attorney-General of Australia Philip Ruddock said after news of the conviction,
- "The convictions of Mr. Thomas for the terrorist offence and the offence related to passport manipulation demonstrate the seriousness with which these issues are dealt with by the law and highlights the consequences of becoming involved in these activities".
This was in relation to his travels to Pakistan and Afghanistan, after he married and converted to Islam. Thomas left Australia for Pakistan on March 23, 2001, and returned home on June 6, 2003. Since his arrest, Thomas has been referred to in the media as "Jihad Jack". When he converted to Islam the self confessed Aussie battler took on the name Jihad, Arabic for struggle..
The trial was highly controversial, as the evidence used to prosecute Thomas consisted solely of an interview conducted in a Pakistani military prison. Despite claims that the evidence was obtained under duress and that Thomas had been tortured, the judge deemed the interview to be admissable. The conviction was overturned on appeal by the Victorian Court of Appeal in the case of R v Thomas, with the appeals judges ruling that the trial judge should have ruled the evidence inadmissable.
On 28 August 2006, following the quashing of the convictions, Thomas was the first person to be issued with a control order under Australian terrorism legislation. The control order places Thomas under a curfew, confining him to his home from midnight until 5am each morning. He is restricted in the phone services he is allowed to operate (one mobile phone, one land line) and must have these approved by the AFP. He is prohibited from using public pay phones.
References
- ^ Thomas convicted under terror laws, The Age, February 26, 2006
- Thomas sentenced under terror laws, News.com.au, March 31, 2006
- ^ The Convert, Four Corners, February 27, 2006
- From the ABC's Four Corners program (21 August 2006). "The Transcript: What Thomas told Four Corners". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 2006-08-28.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Australian terror convictions quashed - The Australian. August 18, 2006.
- R v Thomas (2006) VSCA 165 August 18, 2006.
- "Curfew order for Jack Thomas". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-28.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Helen Brown; et al. (28 August 2006). "Transcript: Govt places curfew on Jack Thomas". Lateline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2006-08-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help)
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